A couple of interesting things have happened since we started doing Comment of the Week:
1) Some commenters have raised their game.
2) None of the winners have claimed their T-shirts.
They’re really good T-shirts, people! Cotton. Classy. Hand stitched by Cooley grads. Win one and you’ll see.
This week, I decided to simply take the most liked comment from the most commented story. Occasionally, even a whimsical comment authoritarian should give the people what they want….
If you believe traffic stats (we do), many of you have been enjoying our extensive coverage of the Dewey & LeBoeuf meltdown. One of our coverage hallmarks has been the consistently awesome puns based on “Dewey.”
The wordsmithing is largely the handiwork of David Lat. And it’s somewhat of a tradition around these parts. We employed the same linguistic device during the Howrey collapse last year.
So it’s only fitting at this point in the game to recognize a commenter who riffed off our puns particularly well. Dewey have a Comment of the Week winner? Yes, we sure do….
Sure, sometimes the comments are rough, but they’re often funny, even when we are the subjects of mean jokes. We here at Above the Law have thick skins.
But we do like compliments, and we’ll take them anywhere we can get them.
The winner of this week’s Comment of the Week contest is a two-parter. The first comment was the ultimate backhanded compliment, while the follow-up was more like a “closed fist upside your head” compliment….
We’re trying out a new feature here on Above the Law to reward all of the commenters who make this site such an active and engaging place.
Sure, a lot of comments are mean, sexist, racist, and devoid of thought or compassion, but on the positive side… well, what I think I was trying to say is that we have a lot of t-shirts in the office that need a home.
The rules are pretty much whatever I say. I am a kind, but arbitrary sort. This week, I focused on the comments from our most commented on stories. Next week, who knows. But, I can tell you I prefer funny with a point over random acts of meme-ing or multi-paragraph term paper comments.
And I also gave preference for people who had actually registered with Disqus….
Yesterday we posted a racy email recounting a male associate’s supposed one-night stand with a female partner. The general consensus was that the story was fiction.
Welcome to Above the Law’s telephone message service. This service is for people who do not have internet access from their cellular phones. Comments made through this system will be placed randomly in each thread, because really, who gives a s**t anymore?
To make a “TTT” accusation, press 1.
To make a cutting remark about about Elie Mystal’s poor grammar and/or obesity, press 2.
To make a gay joke about David Lat, press 3.
To sexually harass Kashmir Hill, press 4.
To make an angry, incoherent comment about “liberals”, press 5.
To make an outrageously bigoted remark you wouldn’t dare make in public, press 6.
To make a comment which betrays your ignorance of history, economics, or whatever other subject is being discussed, press 7.
To post a random, unrelated news story, press 8, or just go to Fark.com or something.
To make a witty, reasoned, well-informed comment, please remain on the line; an operator will be with you shortly. While you wait, you may want to philosophically examine your current life, with specific focus on why you continue to associate with the people who pressed 1 through 8.
Bravo, Anonymous Coward. And a reminder to our readers to enter the comments section at their own risk (though there are some gems there, such as this one).
In an ATL / Lateral Link survey posted on New Year’s Eve, we announced your nominees for the 2008 ATL Commenter of the Year.
Almost 1,800 of you have voted since, and several of the nominees posted their thoughts in comments to the survey post.
Nominee Jack Bauer wrote in:
It’s good to know that I still have some friends. My track record with friends isn’t exactly stellar, seeing how I shot Curtis in the throat and I’m pretty sure Tony has become a terrorist. For those of you who had to work over Christmas, don’t feel too bad, I got a weekend assignment dealing with breach of contract in the Middle East.
Unfortunately, the terrorists appear to have taken out Jack’s friends’ communication network. Only 81 of them were able to vote for him.
Hang in there, Jack. You may not have made it to Day 2 in our poll, but we’re still looking forward to a strong season from you in 2009.
Read on after the jump to see more of our nominees’ comments and learn the results.
As we savor the final hours of 2008, it’s time to look back at some of our favorite people this year: the commenters.
In today’s ATL / Lateral Link survey, it’s time for you to pick the 2008 ATL Commenter of the Year.
Your nominees for Commenter of the Year, and select comments explaining why, are as follows:
1. Count Layoffula
One! One Reason!
six. six times he has made me laugh aloud
Turns the frightening inevitability of layoffs into a moment for comedy; not easy to do. Very clever idea, keeps character, funny as hell. Wildly popular on this board. Hands down the Commenter of the Year.
2. Douche Patrol
He’s the only commenter that gives a sense of order to the otherwise chaotic commentary. His commentary is also always dead-on.
3. FRAT STUD
Because guys in my high school used to vote for FRAT STUD all the time. It was no big deal.
4. Fraternity Lothario
Hilarious, dry, terrific writer. Captures both the essence of ridiculous, in-joke ATL commenting while bringing genuine criticism to the issue of every post. As long as you give the award to the guy who burned up the comments all spring, then left (on a sailing trip? to become a pirate?) this summer with a formal farewell, you would be giving the award to a commenter whose work is Oscar-worthy.
Although his posts have been less frequent, no one is more eloquent (e.g. ATL EIC) while comically germane.
5. Glass Cock
avatar is amusing, and attitude rocks
6. Guest
The most insightful and informed comments are consistently made by Guest. Everything else is trash.
Most comments, most firsts, most everything. Guest rocks.
7. Jack Bauer
He’s funny without being offensive or annoying. In the words of the ATL editor “consistently brilliant.” Finally, do you think that it’s a coincidence that when the legal industry is facing it’s darkest hour, Jack is back?
I don’t know any other person who would take the LSATs, apply and go to law school, purely to infiltrate BIGLAW to get information leading to the takedown of a suspected traitor to this nation.
8. Nervous T-10 1L
Personifies the economic doom and fear among law students. Also kinda funny.
he’s the post-modern Loyola 2L of the apocolypse
9. Commenter 83 in the interview horror stories thread.
“Where I remain to this day.” Priceless!
Technically, commenter 83 was actually “Guest,” but it wouldn’t be an official ATL reader poll if we didn’t give Guest an opportunity to comment about the unfairness of the poll. Also, that comment really was . . . something.
Having a hard time deciding? It’s no big deal. We’ve selected some of the choicer comments from our candidates to help you decide.
Unfortunately, we really couldn’t put some of them above the fold. Some are pretty crude, and Glass Cock’s is far too long. [Ed Note: That's what she said.]
So, keep reading after the jump to see some of the nominees’ exemplary comments, and then cast your vote.
Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, it’s a good time to put things in perspective.
While recent posts have focused on what Elie calls “the four hoursemen of the economic crisis” (layoffs, salary freezes, low bonuses, and dissolution), we should always remember that there’s crushing debt, too. ATL can also be a place for hope.
Just last year, a “skinny kid with a funny name” was nominated for ATL Lawyer of the Year . . . and lost to an ATL commenter-prophet with a not-so-funny view of his career prospects.
In honor of that improbable victory by Loyola 2L, today’s ATL / Lateral Link survey calls for nominations for this year’s Lawyer of the Year.
Last year, your nominees included luminaries like Barack Obama (because “I mean, did you see the Obama Girl videos?”), Hillary Clinton (“She’s fabulous.”), Alberto Gonzales, (“Exemplifies why lawyers are so mistrusted in this country.”), Aaron Charney, (“For both the attention focused, success of action, and for the visibility [he] brought to the secondary issue of partner/associate relations (but not those kinds of relations).”), and, of course, the winner, Loyola 2L (“He’s generated the most thoughtful discussion of law school. That, and perhaps the publicity will help him get a job.”).
Submit your nominations for this year’s Lawyer of the Year below.
Also, in honor of Loyola 2L’s victory, we’re adding a bonus question (which may be the only bonus some of you get this year): we’re accepting nominations for the ATL Commenter of the Year, so you can tell us who’s “First!” in your heart.
Of course, even though there’s a spot for you to nominate a Commenter of the Year, you can also still feel free to nominate a commenter for Lawyer of the Year, too. Or, as one commenter in particular might put it, there are . . .
TWO! TWO PLACES TO NOMINATE COUNT LAYOFFULA!!! AH AH AH!!!!!
Update: This survey is now closed. Click here to see the nominees for Lawyer of the Year, and here to see who was nominated for Commenter of the Year.
A college graduate without student loan debt is akin to reading a kind quote about Kim Kardashian in a tabloid—it’s rare.
In the past eight years, student loan debt has nearly tripled to a whopping $1.1 trillion, and in the past 10 years, the percentage of 25-year-olds with such debt has risen from 25% to 43%
It’s gotten so bad, in fact, that New York Fed economists warned last month that the burden of student debt could stilt consumer spending by twentysomethings, as well as further hamper the recovery of the housing market and economy.
To get a better idea of what massive student loan debt (we’re talking over $100,000 massive) looks like, we talked to an attorney who graduated with a large student loan debt. We also consulted LearnVest Planning Services CFP® Katie Brewer to see just how their repayment plans stack up.
S. Fischer, 36, Attorney Graduated: 2001
How Much I Borrowed: $100,000
What I Still Owe: $45,000
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Ed. note: The Asia Chronicles column is authored by Kinney Recruiting. Kinney has made more placements of U.S. associates, counsels and partners in Asia than any other recruiting firm in each of the past six years. You can reach them by email: asia@kinneyrecruiting.com.
Deal flow has clearly picked recently up for most US associates, counsels and partners in Hong Kong/China and Singapore. We are on the phone with a lot of these folks on a daily basis, many of whom we have known for years. Further, the head of our Asia team, Evan Jowers, and Kinney’s founder and president, Robert Kinney, frequently meet in person with leading US partners in Asia to assess their needs and keep on top of the inside scoop at as many firms as possible. The need for legal recruiting help in Asia from experienced recruiters appears to be live and well. In March, Evan and Robert were in Beijing at such meetings, in April, Evan was in Hong Kong, and for half of June Evan will be in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Thus its pretty easy for us to tell when there has been an across-the-market pick up in capital markets and corporate work.
On an average day in Asia when Evan and Robert visit firms, they typically have 5 to 9 meetings a day, mostly with US partners in the market. The reason they have these meetings is not simply because Kinney makes a lot of US attorney placements in Asia and that a particular firm may have openings; instead these are just visits with friends. After years of working together as business partners, the folks at Kinney are actually these peoples’ friends. The firms Kinney work closely with in Asia (which is just about every law firm – call us if you want to know the one firm in the world we will never place anyone with again, ever, and why) look forward to the visits, or at least act like they do. After seven years in the market, many of the client partners are former associate candidates. Also, these US partners see Kinney as a very good source of market information as well, because they know how deep their contacts are in the market and how frequently they are speaking to counterparts at peer firms.
The traditional job application and interview process can be impersonal, and applicants often struggle to present themselves as more than just the sum of their GPAs, alma maters, and previous work history. ATL has partnered with ViewYou to help job seekers overcome this challenge. ViewYou NOW Profiles offer a unique way for job seekers to make a personal, memorable connection with prospective employers: introduction videos. These videos allow job candidates to display their personalities, interpersonal skills, and professional interests, creating an eDossier to brand themselves to potential employers all over the world. Check it out today!
If you believe traffic stats (we do), many of you have been enjoying our extensive coverage of the Dewey & LeBoeuf meltdown. One of our coverage hallmarks has been the consistently awesome puns based on “Dewey.”
Continue reading “Comment of the Week: Much Ado About Punning”
Comment of the Week: There Was No Contest
By Elie Mystal1) Some commenters have raised their game.
2) None of the winners have claimed their T-shirts.
They’re really good T-shirts, people! Cotton. Classy. Hand stitched by Cooley grads. Win one and you’ll see.
This week, I decided to simply take the most liked comment from the most commented story. Occasionally, even a whimsical comment authoritarian should give the people what they want….
Tags: Benula Bensam, Cardozo Law School, Comment of the Day, Comment of the Week, Contests, Jed Rakoff, Judge Jed Rakoff